Cigarette filter tip assembly machines



Aug. 13, 1957 F. R. TREBLE 2,802,470

CIGARETTE FILTER TIP ASSEMBLY MACHINES Filed July 25, 1955 United States Patent() CIGARETTE FILTER Tn ASSEMBLY MACHINES Frederick Richard Treble, Killarney, Johannesburg,

Transvaal, Union of South Africa Application July 25,1955, Serial No. 524,256

Claims priority, application Great Britain August 3, 1954 6 Claims. (Cl. 131-94) This invention relates to a machine for assembling filter plugs to cigarettes, to produce what is known as filter tip cigarettes.

The machine may be used as a separate unit or in conjunction with a normal cigarette making machine. It is the 'object of this invention to produce a machine which while being eflicient will be simple to construct and be very compact.

,In accordance with this invention the machine comprises an assembly drum having peripheral grooves in line .with its axis, a feeding device for feeding double length filter plugs into the grooves in the assembly drum, a hopper for feeding pairs of cigarettes into the grooves,

one on each side of the plugs, a wrapping device'for wrapping the plugs to secure them to the adjacent portions of the cigarettes and a cutter for cutting the wrapped assembly in half.

`According to a further feature of the invention the plug feeding device, a wrapping device and the cutter are positioned around the periphery of the drum to operate in sequence as the cigarettes are carried round the drum and from which they are finally stripped.

According to still lfurther features of the invention, plugs in length equal to an even multiple of the final required length are fed into grooves in a plug carrier drum concentric and rotatable with, and adjacent to the assembly drum, said plugs then being suitably cut prior to being fed as double length plugs between the pairs of cigarettes fed to the assembly drum, and a rotary movement is imparted to the plugs andcigarettesl whilethey are in the grooves to effect the wrapping operation on the assembly drum.

This invention also provides for the means forrotat-v ing the plugs and the cigarettes while they are on the assembly drum to elect the wrapping operation com` prising a cylindrical roller drum mountedon and Xed to arotating shaft, a concentric sleeve on said drum rotating in the opposite direction to the drum peripheral grooves in the sleeve parallel to its axis and breaking through the inside surface of the sleeve to permit the cigy drum to run in the same direction as the grooved sleeve,

and in contact with the cigarettes, but running at a higher surface speed than the grooved sleeve, so thatv the belts assist to rotate the cigarette and facilitate the wrapping of the assembly.

Alternatively the inventionprovidesfor `the externalI sleeve on the assembly drum to be slottedvcircumferen- `70 accommodate the circumferential slottherein. and for the -Y rib, in turn to be accommodated inta grooveginthesun tially and centrally in its length with an' internal rib to rarice face of the drum, the provision also of other ribs on the axially aligned grooves in the drum.

A preferred form of this invention will be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings partly in sections in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the machine with the plug carrier drum removed.

Fig. 2 is an end View of Fig. 1 with the plug carrier drum in position and the suction drum removed.

Fig. 3 illustrates the wrapping of the cigarettes and filter plugs on an enlarged scale, and

Fig. 4 is a cross section of a detail showing an alterna.- tive way of cutting the cigarettes.

For the purpose of description it will be assumed that the original filter plugs are supplied in lengths six times that required for a single cigarette.

A cigarette assembly unit 1 and concentric filter plug carrier drum 2 are mounted on the same shaft 3 to rotate at the same speed and both have equally spaced peripheral grooves 4, 5, in line with their axes, the number of grooves in the plug carrier drum 2 being one third in number of that in the cigarette assembly unit 1. The cigarette assembly unit 1 comprises two distinct parts; an external sleeve 6 which has the equally spaced peripheral grooves 4 in line with its axis each of sufficient length to accommodate two cigarettes 78 plus a double length filter plug 9 between them. The cigarettes and plugs are loaded in each consecutive groove 4. The sleeve 6 is connected to the shaft 3 driving the plug carrier drum 2. Also mountedon the same shaft 3 is the roller drum 10 enveloped by the sleeve 6. Drum 10 is driven at the same speed as sleeve 6, but in an opposite direction.

As shown in Fig. 2, the shaft 3 is divided and the other portion 30 has a sleeve 2.8 extending from the drum y10 and is secured to the shaft 30. A sleeve 31 on the external sleeve 6 is Secured to the shaft 3.

A rotary movement about4 their own axes is imparted to each pair of cigarettes 7, 8 and double length filter plug 9, by virtue of their Contact with the periphery of the' roller drum 10 which is rotating, as above described in a l contra direction to the concentric and grooved sleeve 6.

Each groove in sleeve 6 therefore carries `an assembly of cigarettesj, 8 andlter plug 9. A pair of belts 11, `12,

is also provided which are driven to malte contact with the* [cigarettes 7, 8, over that section of the assemblydrum Va position under the sleeve 6 to deposit each double length plug 9 into consecutive grooves 4, the plugs 9 being re-' tained and guided by side guides 19 as they'approach the position where the pairsof cigarettes 7, 8 are transferred- 1` where the wrapping of plugs9 and the adjacent ends of `cigarettes 7, "8 take place. These belts v12|., 12 are driven to move in the same direction as the sleeve 6, but ata higher surface speed. l

A'lter p'lughopper 14'is positioned to feedplugs having a length Vsix times the required length of a filter for a cigaretteinto grooves 5 in the upper part of the carrier drum 2, and suitable cutters 1S are provided to cut these plugs into three equal lengths. Circumferential slots32 are provided in the plug carrier drum 2 to accommodate the grooves in the assembly unit1. This device conveniently consists of a platform 17 which is `U-sl`1aped In cross section as shown in Fig. l to receive eachdouble length plug conveyed by belt 16.. A cam 18 operates a push rod 13 to lift the plugsoff the platform 17 and to to the sleeve 6'from hopper'20.

This'cigarette hopper. Zllis positioned above .the sleeve..

6 and is adapted to feed plain cigarettes, that is untipped cigarettes 7, 8, one on each side of the double length filter plugs 9. Side guides 21 are suitably positioned to ensure that thefplainY cigarettes V7, S, are in contact with the adjacent` endsrof the plug 9 as they moveto the wrapping device. The latter as shown consists of a perforated and internally segmented suction drum 22 rotating in an op positedirection to the sleeve 6 and onto which is fed an adhesive web of cork paper or the like which is cut into strips 23 of proper length on the drum. Said` strips 23 due to the suction, adhere to the surface of the drum 22. The suction drum 22V is positioned so that the wrapping strips 23 will contact the plug 9, and adjacent pair of cigarettes 7, 8 and is provided with ports 33 which connect it to a stationary vacuum chamber 34 associated with the rotating drum'22. 'On rotation, the ports 33 pass and therefore are disconnected from chamber 34 so that the wrapping strip 23 is released when it connects with the cigarette assembly. The adhesive may be applied to the cork strip in the known manner.

A transfer drum 27 is provided to receive the wrapped assembly. This drum rotates in unison with the assembly drum 1 so that each consecutive assembly is transferred into a corresponding groove in the transfer drum. These grooves being equally spaced on the periphery of the drum, and parallel to its axis. The drum 27 also has a centrally positioned peripheral slot into which runs a rotary knife 25. The assemblies are retained in the grooves of the drum by guides, until the rotary knife 25 severs them in two halves to `form two filter tipped cigarettes which are then released or stripped yfrom the transfer drum to fall onto a catcher conveyor.

The drum runs in the opposite direction to shaft 3 as shown by the arrows in Fig. l. Sleeve 6 cannot be extended due to the provision of side guides 21 and its circumference but by cutting away the top corner of the drum 10, sleeve 6 may have one side disced as shown in Fig. 2. The disc 30 and the hub 31 thereof are secured yto the shaft 3. To drive drum 10 its hub 28 is extended and constitutes a pulley which could be driven by a belt 29.

Alternatively a cutter 24 is provided below the Wrapping device to separate the double length lter plug 9 when assembled with the cigarettes 7, 8, to provide two normal length filter tipped cigarettes before they leave the sleeve 6. Y

The sleeve 6 of the assembly unit 1 is provided with an internal rib 3S, Fig. 2, to accommodate the circumferential slot 26 for the cutter 24 and the rib in turn is accommodated in a groove 36in the surface of the drum 10. Other ribs may also be provided -on the inside of the sleeve 6 to strengthen the parts between the axially aligned grooves 4 in the sleeve 6.

As illustrated the cutters 15, 24 are preferably circular knives and Sharpeners may be provided for these knives.

It will be understood that should it be desirable to re-` move the pair of cigarettes 7, 8 while still united by the plug 9, this may be done and the plug 9 cut to divide them at a later stage.

The hoppers 20, 14 for the cigarettes and plugs are conveniently positioned adjacent to each other, and at a suitable height to enable the cigarettes 7, 8, to be transerred progressively from a catcher band of any normal standard cigarette making machine. The lter assembly machine can be fitted with a suitable conveyor to deliver the assembled lter tip cigarettes `onto a separate catcher band conveyor in the normal way.

In the normal operation of the machine lter plugs are fed from the ilter plug hopper 14 onto the plug carrier drum 2 where they are'separated into plugs 9 twice the length of the required length of vcigarette lters by the cutters 1S. These cut plugs'9 are transported by the conveyor 16 and transferred to the sleeve 6. On the sleeve 6 the plugs 9 are carried to pass beneath the cigarette hopper 20 to piek up two plain cigarettes 7, 8 and with the plug 9 centrallyr located by the guides 21 between them, the assembly passes to themwrapping device. The cork strips 23 are wrapped around the assembly as illustrated in Fig. 3 and pass to the cutter 24 where two normal filter tip cigarettes are produced from the assembly.

The separated cigarettes are stripped either from the transfer drum 27 or the assembly sleeve 6 after they have been separated and onto the lter assembly machine catcher band.

Under the inuence of rotation the cigarettes fall out of the wheel 27 or sleeve 6 by gravity. A plough member 35 as in Fig. l makes contact with grooves 36 as in Fig. 2 to aid in ejecting the cigarettes from sleeve 6. Similar plough members 37 can be used in conjunction with the wheel 27.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A cigarette filter tip assembly machine comprising a eylindrically shaped assembly unit consisting of a sleeve having peripheral grooves in line with its axis, and a concentric` drum inside said sleeve, said sleeve and drum being adapted to rotate in opposite directions, the peripheral grooves in the sleeve extending through its inside surface to allow cigarettes and lilter plugs in said grooves to make contact with the surface of the inside drum.

2. A cigarette lilter tip Vassembly machine according to claim l, in which a pair of belts is provided which are moved with aV surface` speed greater than the peripheral speed of the sleeve and situated so that the surfaces of the belts contact the periphery of the cigarettes carried in the grooves of the sleeve.

3. A cigarette filter tip assembly machine comprising a cylindrically shaped assembly unit having peripheral grooves in line with its axis, a device for 'feeding double length filter plugs into the grooves in the assembly unit, a hopper for feeding cigarettes one to each side of the plugs, a wrapping device operable adjacent the assembly unit for wrapping the plugs and ladjacent ends of the cigarettes to secure them one to the other, said assembly unit having a circumferentially slot positioned centrally of the length of the assembly unit, and a circular cutter with its edge accommodated in said slot.

4. A cigarette filter tip assembly machine according to claim.v il, in which the sleeve is provided with slots disposed circumferentially and centrally of its length, and Ian internal rib for the sleeve accommodating said slot and in Whichin the concentric drum is provided with a groove to accommodate `said rib. Y

5. A cigarette filter tip assembly machine according to claim 1, in which a pair of 'belts are provided mounted to move with asurface speed greater than theperipheral speedof the sleeve and situated so that the surface of the belts contacts the periphery of the cigarettes carried in the grooves of the sleeve, and in which means are provided -for attaching a web of material round the double length filter plug and the ends of the adjacent cigarettes to unite the plug tothe cigarettes while the cigarettes and tlkile plug are rotating in the groove of the assembly mac me.

6. A cigarette filter tip assembly machine comprising acylindrically shaped assembly unit consisting of a sleeve having peripheral grooves in line with its axis, a concentric, drum inside said sleeve, said sleeve and drum being adapted to be rotated in opposite directions, the peripheral grooves in the sleeve extending through its inside surface to allow cigarettes and lter plugs in said grooves to make contact with the surface of the inside drum, a pair of belts mounted to move with a surface speed greater than the peripheral speedof' thersleeve and situated so that the` surface of the belt contacts the periphery of cigarettes carried in theu grooves of the sleeve, a perforated and internally segmented suction drum rotated in an opposite direction to the assembly unit parallel with and adjacent t0 one`p01'tion` of` its periphery in which the cigarettes andplugs 'adjacent to one another in the peripheral 5 6 grooves are carried and rotated, said suction drum -adapt- References Cited in the le of this patent ed to receive rstr ips of material thereon and carried to UNITED STATES PATENTS contact the rotatmg plugs and adjacent ends of the c1gafettes, and a part in the suction drum adapted to break 118,783 May May 241 1935 the suction as the `strips Contact the plug and cigarette 5 2602453 Trebel July 81 195 assembly. 2,649,761 Edwards Aug. 25, 195 3 

